Covering Up Imperfections

Hello Everyone!

Yes, it’s another beauty post, but that’s only because I’ve been working on a cushion cover…since I’m actually using the first one I made, and I want to perfect my sewing skills (not crochet or knitting, actual sewing), so you guys don’t get a mediocre cushion cover when I start selling! Anyway, today, as you can probably tell from the title, I’m going to be talking about my best foundations.

Over the years, I’ve worn many different types of foundations, and I’m never really satisfied. There are periods when I think the one I have is the perfect one, I find out about a new one, and that one takes over. However, I think I’ve found my perfect match (and no, it’s not the L’Oreal Perfect Match foundation, although there was a time it was one of my staples). At the moment, there are about three brands I use, of course, not all at once (who would actually do that?), it depends on the mood I’m in, which one I use. They are the:

Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Makeup

NARS Liquid Foundation

NYX Stay Matte Foundation

These ones are my staple one, at the moment. Now it took me forever to decide to finally use the NARS and the Urban Decay ones, because they were rather expensive, and I really, really, REALLY wanted to save them for special occasions. However, when finally decided to use them, I’ve been in love ever since. So, let’s see why I love them shall we?

Naked Not Nude

So, one of my current staples is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Makeup Foundation. The reason why, is because I wanted to try a high-end brand, and compare it with drugstore ones. To say the least, there really is no comparison, at least for me. I love Urban Decay’s eyeshadow palettes, as some of you already know, so I wanted to try their skin products too, and I actually love it! The bottle is big enough that there’s probably enough foundation there, to last me at least 6 months, especially since I don’t wear makeup every day (I work in a shop, in an area that doesn’t require me to look my best, so my skin breathes a little easier with just moisturiser).

Besides that, the colour match is perfect for me. I’m in the No. 5 range of their foundations, that means I’m a medium shade of brown, and when I put it on, it’s as if I don’t really have any foundation on at all, and my skin looks just flawless! The coverage is amazing too! Aside from having to mix it with primer, which is a drugstore product (although I’m thinking about converting), I barely feel the foundation on me. What I mean is that although I slather on a layer onto my face, when I leave the house, it feels like I only have moisturiser on my face…well it would, if I don’t add the setting powder, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner (the works basically). If you’re looking for a start in the “branded” world of makeup. Urban Decay is a great way to start!

From Grammers to Gurus

If you don’t get the reference, what I mean is Instagrammers…I think that’s how you spell it. Basically, every YouTube Beauty Guru, and most Beauty Instagrammers, I follow, has had a NARS product featured at least once in their tutorials, even some makeup artists I’ve worked with, on a photoshoot, use them. So, I decided to try it myself. Now, when I went to a consultation (that is, when I asked an assistant to help me find a good match for my skin), she went all out and basically caked my face. Normally I would have said, “you know what, I’m good, I’ll have a think about it and come back”. However, I did tell her I was going to try and get into the whole “self-shoots” thing, so I thought, why not. If I’m satisfied with what I see in the mirror, with the bright lights they were using, I’ll be fine, when I start shooting for myself.

So, I decided to take the foundation, just to see how it worked, when I put it on myself. Just to give you an idea, the bottle isn’t a pump (unlike the Urban Decay one, which does have one), what you get with NARS is a stick that the foundation sticks to and you have to roll it onto the back of your hand, to get a good amount of product for your face. While I’m not too much of a fan of this method of application, I still love the foundation. I have the Medium 1.5 Vallauris foundation. It’s comparatively lighter than the Urban Decay No. 5, but that’s probably because, at the time I had the consultation, I hadn’t seen the sun for a while (seriously, I work in a shop that faces away from the sun, so I barely get any Vitamin D time – no that’s not a pun!). So, I think I’ll be wearing this one mostly in winter, or if I think I’m not too dark for it.

Inspired By The Big Apple

Last but not least, we have the NYX Stay Matte Liquid Foundation. Now, the only reason I have this, and use this, is because I’m in no particular fuss to look good for people. Occasionally, I wear makeup to work, and during these times I wear the NYX foundation, purely because the shop has florescent lights, that do nothing to make my skin look healthy and glowing. If anything, I look really dull under those lights, but there’s nothing that can be done about that. So, I have the Warm Beige and Soft Beige tones, because those ones work best with my skin colour.

During the summer months (or if I’d just come back from a sunny holiday), I wear the Warm Beige tone, since my skin would be darker, and that one is a lot more orange than its sister colour. The Soft Beige is better in winter, as it’s paler and decidedly less orange. In terms of the coverage, it is a bit heavy, compared to its high-end counterparts, but hey, if you’re in an area that doesn’t require you to be at your 100% best, this foundation would do just fine. It’s not too cakey that people notice, and it stays on for however long you need it to be. In all this foundation is great, if you’re not very active, and you just stand around (or sit around) all day. I’d only recommend this foundation, if you’re a little strapped for cash, and can’t afford the big, major brands out there.

Well, there you have it. My best foundations, so far. Of course, there are many to choose from, and this is by no means a comprehensive list that would work well for everyone, but for someone like me, who basically have a lot of scars from old spots (yeah, it’s a bad habit I know), these ones do me justice. If you’d like to see other foundation reviews, check out Reviews.com. They have their own list! The link’s below. I think I might try one of their recommended foundations, to see how they compare. Now, it’s your turn. Have you tried any of these foundations? Which ones would you recommend us to try? Leave your tips in the jar below, and I’ll see you next time!